


Four Calling Birds

by lindsey_grissom



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003), House M.D., Lie to Me (TV), NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-17
Updated: 2009-12-17
Packaged: 2017-10-10 14:57:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/101020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindsey_grissom/pseuds/lindsey_grissom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little peak into the lives of some favourite couples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Calling Birds

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a 12 Days of Christmas Challenge for [multicolour](http://archiveofourown.org/users/deserts/works).

**One.**

Cal watches her from the shadows of the hallway, thankful in these moments for the all-glass walls. How wrong he had been to try to fight her on that decision.

She's perched on her desk facing the tall windows, phone cradled to her ear as her legs stretch out onto the seat of her chair. As she talks, her words lost to him, the chair swings side-to-side with the push of her feet.

Cal imagines that if the phone had a cable, she would be twirling it around her fingers. It's dark enough outside that every few swings, he can see her reflection and he enjoys the smiles that spread across her face. The laughter that lights up her eyes.

He thinks of the excuse he holds in his hand, the file that allows him to be here innocently and then considers for only a second, the real reason he came to her office when he checked the hidden cameras and saw what she was doing. He dismisses the truth quickly, before it can show on his face.

Cal remembers the last time he watched her like this; mid-afternoon, her body outlined by the falling Sunday snow. She had caught him staring and he thinks she nearly read through his quick lie as only she can. She leans back, suddenly, her free hand bracing her against the desk. Cal leans himself against the closest supporting beam, settling in to watch for a little longer, hoping whoever is on the line can continue to hold her attention for some time yet.

 

**Two.**

"I'm not coming back Jen."

A pause, then; "I didn't ask you to."

A quiet snort.

"Of course not. Why are you calling then Madame Director?"

"Because I have to have some nefarious plan when I call you now? Can't it just be two old partners catching up?" His words thrown back at him.

"Jenny." A growl.

"Didn't take your sense of humour with you to Mexico, Jethro?" Silence. A sigh; capitulation. "How are you?"

"Fine." A lie, followed by a sip of beer. "You?"

"Fine." A lie, followed by a gulp of bourbon. More silence, more drinking.

"So was that.."

"N-Yes, I- take care Jethro." Shoulders slump on both sides of the divide.

"You two Jen." A dial tone.

_"Merry Christmas."_ Twice unheard.

 

**Three.**

When Cuddy wants him, House hides. When she pages him, he makes sure he's as far from his pager as possible. When she sends for him over the speakers, he pretends he's a patient and deaf and hits out with his cane at anyone who disagrees. When she hires the Ducklings to hunt him out, he distracts them with a sudden epiphany about the case when they have one, and with a new case when they don't. When she resorts, finally, to using Wilson for her dastardly deeds, House laughs at her with him because really, she should know better by now.

But when she calls him, he answers, because then she can't see him when he smiles.

 

**Four.**

It took them until the third attempt before they managed to get through the call without hanging up early. The first try ended in awkward silence and they couldn't look at each other in the meeting the next day. The second was called off when he snorted his noodles and she giggled so loudly she was afraid someone would hear.

The third call started tense, bled into humour and ended, well, it ended with unseen sated smiles and his heart pounding as hard as the Nuggets' landings. _Boom. Boom. Boom._

Now they have it down to a fine art. Sometimes she calls and they drag it out longer than their longest meetings. Other times she calls when she _knows_ he has a shift and she makes him come with time to spare.

She calls, because it's easier to control who listens in and he won't share these calls with anyone. She calls because she likes the control it brings. He lets her because he loves the wait each night while he looks at the handset and remembers the last time and feels the excitement build up.

The phone rings. His pulse spikes. He grins.

 

**End.**


End file.
